Remembering Letitia

We are saddened to learn of Letitia Carter‘s passing one month ago. Letitia and her late husband John were among the early supporters of Community MusicWorks and became a central force in supporting and building this organization.

It was 2003 when we sent a proposal for support—not having any prior connection—to the Carter Family Charitable Trust. Soon after we were surprised to receive notification of a generous grant, and we invited John and Letitia to our next concert. The Carters arrived at Bell Street Chapel and, when they saw the donation table at the front door, John turned to leave, saying he’d be right back, and that he had forgotten his wallet. We tried to assure him it was unnecessary, but he insisted. John returned 20 minutes later, paid the suggested donation amount, and then joined Letitia to enjoy the concert.

This story reflects a broader attitude we have admired about the Carters’ philanthropy over the years. Their involvement in CMW has been seismic, all while being low-key and humble. They were modest, practical in their investments, and wanted no special access or recognition despite the outsized role they played in making any CMW project, initiative, or budget come to success.

When CMW was hoping to launch the Fellowship Program in 2006, we approached the Carters for their support. We shared with them our ambition for the initiative: that this program would allow us to expand our enrollment in Providence and provide a model for other communities in other states to do this work. They were clear in their response: their interest was providing access for more children in Rhode Island, but the other aim of model sharing was interesting, but not their priority.

At one point, we were struggling to identify multi-year support so that every fiscal year didn’t begin at zero. I had a conversation with Letitia about this issue and asked whether they might consider making a three-year pledge. She and John had good questions, wanted to understand the dynamics, and came back with a generous pledge. At that stage it made all the difference: we could breathe a little easier and plan expansions we probably couldn’t have otherwise.

The Carters’ familiarity with the West End and Southside was thorough. In the last conversation I had with John before his passing I shared with him the plans for our new building. He asked for the address and knew just where it was. He remarked that it was a great location and thought the proximity to the park would be a great feature.

Letitia Carter, left, listens with family and friends to a performance by CMW Resident Musician Minna Choi in 2020.

One of the last times I saw Letitia was in the driveway of her Little Compton home. It was in the early stages of the pandemic, and we were doing our “CMW Delivers” series, playing concerts in parking lots and backyards for socially distanced crowds. Minna and I performed for Letitia and some of her family and friends, and her warmth and enthusiasm spoke to our many years of collaborating, her open-hearted enthusiasm, and her generosity of spirit.

We are grateful for the ongoing collaboration with the Carter Family Charitable Trust, now helmed by the Carters’ son John III and attorney Richard Small. But we will miss Letitia Carter’s special wisdom and spirit in this community. Her memory will be a blessing to all of us.

—Sebastian Ruth

Read Letitia Carter’s obituary in the Providence Journal.